Ford Fusion (North America)
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| Ford Fusion<tr><td colspan=2>Image:2006 Ford Fusion (US).jpg</tr> | |
| Manufacturer: | Ford Motor Company<tr><th>Production:<td>2006—present</tr><tr><th>Assembly:<td>Hermosillo, Mexico<tr><th>Predecessor:<td>Ford Contour Ford Taurus</tr><tr><th>Class:<td>Mid-size</tr><tr><th>Body style:<td>4-door sedan</tr><tr><th>Layout:<td>FF layout</tr><tr><th>Platform:<td>Ford CD3 platform</tr><tr><th>Engine:<td>2.3 L Duratec 23 I4 3.0 L Duratec 30 V6</tr><tr><th>Transmission:<td>6-speed Aisin automatic (V6) 5-speed Mazda manual (I4) 5-speed Mazda automatic (I4)</tr><tr><th>Wheelbase:<td>107.40 in.</tr><tr><th>Length:<td>190.20 in.</tr><tr><th>Width:<td>72.20 in.</tr><tr><th>Height:<td>57.20 in.</tr><tr><th>Related:<td>Ford Edge Lincoln MKX Lincoln MKZ Lincoln Zephyr Mazda6 Mazda CX-9 Mercury Milan</tr><tr><th>Similar:<td>Chevrolet Malibu Honda Accord Mitsubishi Galant</tr> |
|---|---|
- For the European estate car / mini MPV, see Ford Fusion (European).
The North American Ford Fusion (code name CD338) is a mid-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company since the 2006 model year. It is based on the Ford CD3 platform, of which the Mazda6 is the best known example. The Fusion went on sale in October 2005 as a 2006 model and is a replacement for the discontinued Taurus program. The Fusion also is a de facto late successor to the Ford Contour compact, which had been discontinued in 2000 and replaced by the Ford Focus, which had also replaced the Ford Escort. The Contour served as similar smaller car compared to the Taurus, just as the Fusion is to the full-size Five Hundred.
The Fusion is manufactured at Ford's Hermosillo Stamping & Assembly plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, where the similar Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ are also built. All three cars are based on the same platform and were launched simultaneously into the market (the MKZ as the Zephyr). Production on the first Fusions began on August 1, 2005.
Ford's advertising campaign for the Fusion in the United States is entitled Life in Drive.
At its launch, the Fusion fit in a line of sedans by Ford (smallest to largest) and EPA size category:<ref>EPA fueleconomy.com</ref>
- Ford Focus(compact)
- Ford Fusion (midsize)
- Ford Taurus (midsize)
- Ford Five Hundred (large sedan)
- Ford Crown Victoria (full-size sedan)
The Taurus has since been discontinued.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
With its launch, the Fusion debuted Ford's new three-bar grille design, which is expected to become the company's trademark look for the rest of the decade. Production volume is projected at 160,000-200,000 per year.
Fusion's competitors are the Chevrolet Malibu (and possibly the larger Impala), Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Mitsubishi Galant and Pontiac G6. Car and Driver notes that the car is actually similar in size to the first generation Ford Taurus rather than the Ford Tempo or Ford Contour which occupied the small mid-size slot during those years, an example of car size inflation since the 1980s.
Changes to the CD3 platform from the Mazda6 include stretching it by 30 mm (1.2 in) in width and 55 mm (2.2 in) in length, strengthening it, and modifying the suspension for a more compliant ride. Like the Mazda, the Fusion uses the Mazda-designed 2.3 L Duratec 23 I4 and Ford-designed 3.0 L Duratec 30 V6. All wheel drive is offered for V6 models in 2007.
The Fusion shares some interior parts with the otherwise unrelated European Mondeo, such as part of the console and the seats. Both automatic and manual transmissions are available (the latter only with the I4 engine).
[edit] Background on name choice
The Fusion was originally to be called the Ford Futura, which was last a 2 door Fairmont but Ford lost a trademark lawsuit to the Pep Boys auto parts store, which has a line of tires under the Futura brand. American trademark law generally considers a name abandoned if the owner does not use it for three calendar years, and the long history of the name in the Ford line did not impress the court. Ironically, the Futura name is actually still used by Ford Australia, as a trim line for the Falcon. Pep Boys does not operate in Australia, thus there was no conflict of trademark in that country.
Another choice of name was "Falcon", but that would have caused much confusion with the long-running Australian Ford Falcon. Still, that didn't prevent Ford from duplicating the name of the European Fusion, a mini-MPV based on the Ford Fiesta, slotted between the Fiesta and the Focus. Another popular intermediate muscle car nameplate considered was reviving the name Torino, a peer of the now revived Dodge Charger.
[edit] NASCAR
The Fusion also became the new body shape for Ford automobiles in NASCAR beginning in 2006, replacing the Ford Taurus.<ref>Fordracing.com</ref> This is the first time that Ford has introduced a new model that went racing in NASCAR at the same time as its launch since the aerodynamically slick Ford Torino in 1968. It debuted at the 2006 Daytona 500, and won its first race a week later in California.
[edit] Awards and consumer response
According to Ford, consumer response to the Fusion has exceeded their expectations [1], with 30,000 sold during the first quarter of 2006. It also has seemed to outsell its main rival, the Chevrolet Malibu.
The Fusion was nominated for the North American Car of the Year award for 2006. In July 2006, Strategic Vision gave the Fusion its Total Quality Award as the best-quality midsize sedan on the American market. [2]
AutoWeek magazine made a tongue-in-cheek comment that Ford named the new sedan the Fusion only because its grille has a striking resemblance to the Gillette Fusion Razor shaver. [citation needed] It may also be suggested that Ford drew inspiration from the rear and front styling of the fourth and fifth-generation Honda Prelude, respectively. Regardless, the three-bar grille, which includes two matching bars below the bumper/fascia and is thus a five-bar design, was first seen on a concept car called the Ford 427, unveiled in 2003 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.
An article reflecting on the retirement of the Taurus however noted that whatever its faults, Ford did sell a large volume of them, and at time production ended, the Taurus was still outselling the smaller Fusion and larger Ford Five-Hundred combined, thanks to Taurus' large fleet sales. As of July 2006, the Fusion sells at 97% retail, meaning that despite less sales, it is more profitible for Ford than the Taurus. [3].
[edit] Reviews
- In a December 2005 test, Car and Driver ranked the Fusion just below the first-place Honda Accord, edging out the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata by only a few points. "The Verdict: Not your father's Taurus"<ref>Comparison Test Review: 2006 Ford Fusion SEL V-6 vs. 2006 Honda Accord EX V-6 vs. 2006 Hyundai Sonata LX V-6 vs. 2006 Toyota Camry XLE V-6 Car and Driver December 2005 </ref>
- Consumer Reports has also given positive reviews to the Fusion, as it had to the previous Taurus.
Ford Fusion was ranked number one in the JD Power APEAL study for 2006.
In November of 2006, Consumer Reports ranked the Fusion ahead of its rivals, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in overall quality rating (as reported from surveys filled out by Consumer Reports' suscribers).
[edit] Future features and model information
[edit] New features for 2007
For 2007, All-wheel drive will be available on V6 models.
As well, the Fusion will now have front-seat side airbags and a side air curtain as standard features, as well as an anti-theft perimeter alarm. (All were previously available as cost options.)
Also added is an auxilary audio input jack is added for audio transmission from a portable audio player along with some equipment modifications. Sirius Satellite Radio and a DVD-based navigation system will apparently be available on models later in the year.
[edit] 2008 hybrid
A hybrid version of the Fusion was announced at the 2005 NAIAS, to be introduced for the 2008 model year.
[edit] Future coupe version
According to Motor Trend magazine (September 2006 issue), Ford will capitalize on the success of the Fusion by making a 2-door coupe model, similar to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry Solara. It would probably get a different name, and fill the gap left when the Ford Escort ZX2 was discontinued in 2003. If this plan were to get the green light, the Lincoln MKZ would most likely get a coupe version too, but the Mercury Milan would probably not.
[edit] Engines
- 3.0 L Duratec 30 V6, 221 hp (165 kW) and 205 ft·lbf (278 N·m)
- 2.3 L Duratec 23 I4 160 hp and 156 ft·lbf
- 3.5 L Duratec 35 V6 265 hp and 250 ft·lbf (Engine expected to be available after the 2007 model year)
[edit] EPA Fuel Economy Information
- Passenger Volume 100 ft3 (4D)
- Luggage Volume 16 ft3 (4D)
- Fuel Type: Regular Gasoline
- 2.3L 4-cylinder, 5-speed manual:
- MPG (city) 23
- MPG (highway) 31
- MPG (combined) 26
- Average User MPG 28.9
- 2.3L 4-cylinder, 5-speed Automatic
- MPG (city) 24
- MPG (highway) 32
- MPG (combined) 27
- 3.0L V6, 6-speed automatic:
- MPG (city) 21
- MPG (highway) 29
- MPG (combined) 25
[edit] Notes
<references/>
[edit] See also
- Lincoln Zephyr
- Ford Fusion (European)
- Ford Mondeo
- Hurra Torpedo - Band sponsored by the Ford Fusion
[edit] External links
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
- Official Ford Fusion website
- Ford Motor Company
- Ford Fusion Photos
- Fan Site
- Ford Fusion Forums & Specifications
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| Full-size | Five Hundred | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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